It’s amazing how beneficial personal relationships can be on our overall health and wellbeing. But in order to reap the rewards, these relationships need to be positive, strong, and a two-way street.
This year, make your relationships with your friends stronger than ever by following these 7 tips.
1. Make time. Life gets busy, we all know that, and often between work and caring for immediate family members, friends can take a back seat. For 2017, we want you to carve out time in your schedule to connect with your friends be it online, through text messaging, over the phone or in person.
2. See their potential. You may think someone is just an acquaintance or casual friend, and unless you make the effort that is all they will ever be. Friendships, especially close ones, don’t happen overnight, and if you shrug someone off as simply being a co-worker or neighbour, you could be missing out on a wonderful friendship.
3. Visit with each other. You need more than online exchanges and quick text messages to feel connected to a person. Of course, these things help you stay in touch and are important in their own way. But you really need to spend time with friends as well. So get out and meet at a coffee shop, enjoy an activity together, or arrange for a nice visit at home.
4. Speak up. We are all human and as such are bound to have habits that annoy others. Part of building strong relationships is acknowledging when something upsets you and tackling it head on. If you have a friend who is constantly late, or maybe they made an off-remark that hurt you, whatever it is, talk it through. This way, you won’t be building up any resentment and your friend will have a chance to explain and make things right.
5. But don’t sweat the small stuff. On the other hand, we all have our own unique quirks, our positive and negative traits. Recognize what can be overlooked, and simply let it slide.
6. Lend a hand. We could all use a third or even fourth hand sometimes. If a friend is in the midst of a project, offer to help; if they are busy taking care of an ageing parent, cook them a meal. Find ways to contribute to your friends’ lives that goes beyond a chat or an offer of help that they may feel awkward following up on.
7. Be a cheerleader. It is easy to find and focus on hurdles. If your friend is dreaming big, be there to support them. Be honest, of course, but look for the positive, offer encouragement, and cheer them on with their endeavours.
At Amintro, we are all about facilitating and strengthening friendships. We are a community exclusively for those 50 plus looking to create new social circles or expand current ones. We believe in the bond of old friends and the possibilities that lie with new ones. Join for free at www.amintro.com/pre-register or learn more about us, our community and how to become an Amintronian by following us on Twitter: @AmintroFriends, or liking us on Facebook: AmintroFriends.
By Christine Tompa